I can't breathe properly!

Hello everyone. I haven't posted on here in quite awhile, but I have been reading a lot of things that are posted and I also chat in the Chronic Pain chatroom frequently. I hope you're all doing well!

A bit of background: I'm a 23 year old female and was diagnosed with Lupus a year ago and have been on Plaquenil, Prednisone, and Voltaren daily. My current issue is I'm having a lot of trouble breathing/shortness of breath. I can only seem to get a full deep breath after I try 6 or 7 times. I just have shallow breathing otherwise. When I get close to having a good breath in, or manage to get one I often have a weird stabbing pain in my back or chest or it sometimes feels like someone is sticking a finger in between my ribs. It also seems like sometimes I have to yawn my way through a deep breath. This has happened in the past and my doctor checked me for a clot and there wasn't one. It just seemed to get worse last night, and I was getting uncomfortable from not getting enough good breaths in. I read up on Pleurisy and it doesn't sound quite as severe as that. There usually isn't a burning sensation and I don't really cough a lot. It just feels like my lungs can't expand all the way for some reason. It's getting pretty worrisome; I went to a walk-in-clinic last night and they told me to go to the ER but that would cost me a bajillion dollars because I don't currently have insurance. Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks,
Misty

Hey Misty! Are you by chance still seeing the rhuemy that prescribed your meds? If you are, I would deffinatly call that doctor. If this is lupus that is causing this, it should be looked at asap.

If not, I would ask your local hospital about financial assistance! Sorry couldnt be of more help but know I will be thinking about you.

I had the exact same thing happen to me last year. I was 23, in a lot of pain, and had absolutely no money or health insurance. I ended up going to the ER and I've actually been back several times since. Yes, it's expensive, but doable. I've been to 3 separate ER's and my bill was never more than $800, and I have been able to pay it off monthly, usually around $50 a month. If you get admitted to the hospital, they have financial assistance programs that are usually amazing. 2 of the 3 times I've been admitted my hospital bill was completely dismissed (still have to pay the ER bill though). The one that wasn't dismissed was reduced by 80%. Sorry if this is too long winded! I guess I just wanted you to know you're not alone and they have payments plans so just go! Especially if the walk-in clinic told you to go.